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Player News - Wednesday, March 7th, 2018

Robinson Cano blasted a solo homer in a 7-3 loss to the Athletics on Wednesday in the Cactus League.

Cano's bomb was a solo shot off of Chris Bassett. Now 35, he's gotten off to a strong start in Arizona, and is now hitting .400 in the Cactus League. No longer the elite option at second base that he once was, Cano still should hit for a high enough average with enough homers to make him a first-division fantasy regular.

Yonder Alonso hit his second homer of the spring in a loss to the Cubs in the Cactus League on Wednesday.

Homers are always great, but it's particularly nice to see Alonso hit a homer against Jose Quintana; one of the best left-handed hurlers in baseball. The 30-year-old first baseman is coming off his best professional season, but much of the damage was done in the first two months. Hitting in a quality lineup for the first time in his career, he could put up solid numbers again in 2018.

Kyle Schwarber went 2-for-3 with a homer and scored three runs in an 11-6 thrashing of the Indians on Wednesday in the Cactus LEague.

Schwarber's homer came off of Nick Goody in the top of the sixth inning with no one one. The newly svelte outfielder has been excellent so far in Arizona, and looks like the hitter who showed so much promised in 2015-2016. There's some risk here, but Schwarber has a very high ceiling, and he should be worth a starting spot on fantasy rosters in 2018.

Jimenez is recovering from knee tendinitis, and the White Sox have understandably been taking things slow with the star prospect. It remains to be seen when he'll be able to get into a Cactus League game, but there's no rush. His offensive upside is palpable, and there's a real chance he could make his big league debut this summer if things go well.

Simmons has battled injuries for most of his professional career, so seeing him leave a Cactus League outing is alarming, if not surprising. He's currently competing for a spot in the Chicago bullpen. He'll be reevaluated on Thursday, and we should know more about the severity of the injury after that evaluation.

Marco Gonzales continued his strong spring with four shutout innings on Wednesday against the A's in his third spring training start.

Gonzales did give up two hits and walk two, but he was able to get two double plays, and he made the key pitch when he needed to. This is the third straight strong outing for the left-hander, who is battling for one of the final spots in the Seattle rotation this spring. Based on what we've seen so far, he has a great chance of earning one of those spots. Because he doesn't miss bats, he's unlikely to be relevant as a fantasy starter, however.

Trevor Bauer was rocked by the Cubs on Wednesday, giving up eight runs in 3 1/3 innings in his third spring training outing.

Bauer was clean in the first, but gave up multiple runs in the second, third and fourth innings. He was excellent in his previous two starts, so this could just be a cause of Bauer working on some things combined with the Arizona air. He's going to pitch in the middle of the Cleveland rotation and could be a solid fantasy option in 2018.

Jose Quintana allowed one run in his 2 1/3 innings against the Indians on Wednesday in the Cactus League.

Quintana gave up two runs, but only one was earned; a solo shot by Yonder Alonso in the second inning. He gave up three hits, and walked one with no strikeouts. This was not Quintana at his best, but it's March 7, so he doesn't have to be at his best. He'll be among the best southpaws in the National League for the National League Central favorites.

""It's progressing," Melancon said. "I don't think we expected it to be perfect from Day 1. Part of having surgery is going through that." Melancon pitched in a game on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing an operation to release pressure on the pronator muscle in September. It sounds like the 32-year-old reliever will be dealing with discomfort for a while, but he's still expected to be the closer for the Giants come opening day.

Logan Forsythe plated three runs as part of a two-hit performance Wednesday in the Dodgers' Cactus League win over the Angels.

He supplied most of the Dodgers' offense in this one. Forsythe got things started with an RBI double in the second and capped the afternoon with a two-run blast off John Lamb in the seventh. He's been a man possessed, collecting two homers and six RBI to go with a .500 average this spring. Forsythe can play all over the infield but should see most of his time at second base.

Lucas Duda earned two hits Wednesday in the Royals' Cactus League loss to the Brewers.

Duda plated the game's first run with an RBI single in the first. He also added a single to third on a line drive to left field. The former Met is off to a good start this spring with three hits in his first seven Cactus League at-bats. He's been tapped to replace Eric Hosmer at first base, though he may sit against lefties.

Jake Junis gave up two hits and a run over two innings Wednesday in the Royals' Cactus League loss to the Brewers.

Junis fanned three and didn't walk anyone. He let up a two-out single to Hernan Perez in the first but struck out Domingo Santana to end the threat. Junis served up a home run to Jesus Aguilar to begin the second before inducing two ground-outs and a fly-out to end the inning. Coming off a promising rookie year, Junis should be able to nab a spot in KC's starting rotation.

Junior Guerra scattered six hits and two runs (one earned) over four innings Wednesday in the Brewers' Cactus League win over the Royals.

He struck out three and walked one. Guerra wasn't sharp but did a good job of damage control by stranding four runners. After yielding a run in each of his first two innings, Guerra finished on a high note by holding KC scoreless over his final two frames. Guerra has put together a solid spring so far with a 1.80 ERA over four Cactus League outings including three starts. He's fighting for a spot in Milwaukee's starting rotation.

Homer Bailey took it on the chin Wednesday in the Reds' Cactus League loss to the White Sox, surrendering seven hits and six runs over three taxing innings.

He finished with one strikeout and didn't walk anyone. White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez couldn't even make it out of the first inning, but Bailey wasn't much better for the Reds. Bailey began his outing by allowing four straight hits and later served up home runs to Yolmer Sanchez and Daniel Palka. He got better as the game went on but was never sharp. Bailey saw his spring ERA skyrocket from 3.60 to 9.00 as a result of Wednesday's meltdown. The right-hander has a pair of no-hitters on his MLB resume but has struggled to a 6.39 ERA over his last three seasons while battling a near-constant string of injuries.

Scott Schebler went bonkers Wednesday in the Reds' Cactus League loss to the White Sox, dropping four hits including his first home run of the spring.

Schebler stole a base and scored three times. He increased Cincinnati's lead to 7-3 in the second inning by launching a two-run shot off Chris Beck. The 27-year-old has been absurdly hot at the dish, earning 11 hits in his first 19 Cactus League at-bats this spring. That's good for a .579 average. The Reds boast a deep outfield but Schebler should be in the lineup most days. As a late-round flyer in fantasy, you could do a lot worse than Schebler.

Matt Davidson hammered his third home run of the spring Wednesday in the White Sox's Cactus League win over the Reds.

Davidson got Chicago on the board with a two-run single in the first and kept the engine running with a solo blast in the sixth. He's been firing on all cylinders this spring with 15 RBI and a .393 average. Whether it's at third base or DH, the White Sox are going to find at-bats for him.

Yolmer Sanchez chipped in with three hits Wednesday in the White Sox's Cactus League win over the Reds.

He drove in three of the White Sox's 14 runs in a high-scoring affair at Camelback Ranch. Sanchez went yard off Homer Bailey in the second inning and added to his haul with an RBI single in the fourth. Sanchez had been off to a relatively slow spring before Wednesday's outburst, which bumped his Cactus League average from .176 to .286. The 25-year-old is hoping to beat out Matt Davidson for the starting job at third base.

Miguel Gonzalez imploded Wednesday in the White Sox's Cactus League win over the Reds, allowing four hits, two walks and five runs in just 2/3 of an inning.

Well, sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you. On Wednesday, the bear ate Gonzalez as the right-hander couldn't get out of the first inning. Six of the eight batters he faced reach base including Phillip Ervin, who ended his outing by smashing a two-run triple to right field. The right-hander now owns an unsightly 16.88 ERA over two outings this spring. He's only an option in AL-only leagues and even that might be a stretch.

Buster Posey (ankle) will start against the Mariners on Friday in the Cactus League.

Posey hasn't appeared for the Giants since injuring his ankle on February 25. There was talk that he would return on Tuesday, but the Giants are playing things safe with the 30-year-old catcher. He'll once again be among the best backstops in baseball in 2018.

Tyson Ross had a so-so outing Wednesday in the Padres' Cactus League tie with San Francisco, yielding four hits, two walks and two earned runs over three lackluster innings.

He recorded just one strikeout. Ross got off to a rough start, allowing San Francisco's first three batters to reach in the first inning. The Giants got to him for two runs in the frame and it would have been worse if Hunter Pence hadn't hit into an inning-ending double play. Ross settled down after that, retiring four batters in a row to end his outing. Injury-prone and coming off one of his worst seasons, Ross doesn't carry much fantasy appeal.

Madison Bumgarner let up five hits and two runs over 3 1/3 innings Wednesday in the Giants' Cactus League tie with San Diego.

The left-hander tallied six punch-outs while issuing just one walk. Bumgarner didn't allow a run in the first three innings but saw the wheels come off in the fourth. After striking out Eric Hosmer to begin the frame, Bumgarner proceeded to allow three straight hits including RBI doubles to Hunter Renfroe and Christian Villanueva. Bumgarner obviously didn't have his best stuff today, but remember, it's only March 7. He remains an elite fantasy starter and should be drafted as such.

Brandon Crawford contributed two hits Wednesday in the Giants' Cactus League tie with San Diego.

Crawford staked San Francisco to a 2-0 lead with an RBI single in the first inning and added to his tally with a leadoff single in the fourth. He struck out in his final at-bat and was later replaced at shortstop by Orlando Calixte. Crawford raised his Cactus League average from .214 to .294 with Wednesday's performance. All five of Crawford's hits this spring have been singles.

Clayton Kershaw let up three hits over three shutout frames Wednesday in the Dodgers' Cactus League win over the Angels.

Not a bad day at the office for Kershaw, who finished with two strikeouts and the same number of walks. The three-time Cy Young winner loaded the bases in the third but Justin Upton ended the threat by popping up to end the inning. The Angels' three hits off Kershaw were all singles. The stud left-hander hasn't missed a beat this spring, piling up five strikeouts over six scoreless frames. Kershaw has struggled with back issues the past couple of years but remains arguably the league's top arm when healthy.

Garrett Richards scattered two hits and one run over four strong innings Wednesday in the Angels' Cactus League loss to the Dodgers.

He impressed with seven punch-outs and didn't walk anyone. The only trouble Richards saw came in the second inning when he yielded a one-out single to Joc Pederson, who later scored on Logan Forsythe's double to center field. It's been a good spring for Richards, who now carries a 2.00 ERA over three Cactus League starts. The right-hander should be a useful fantasy contributor if he can stay healthy.

Mike Trout reached base in two of three plate appearances Wednesday in the Angels' Cactus League loss to the Dodgers.

Trout grounded out in his first at-bat against Clayton Kershaw but followed that up with a walk in the third and an RBI single in the fifth. He also added his first steal of the spring, though the Angels would strand him at second base. Trout had been hitless in 10 at-bats prior to Wednesday but fantasy owners shouldn't be concerned about his slow start. The two-time MVP set career-highs in both OPS (1.071) and slugging percentage (.629) last season and should be in for another monster year.

Trevor Story scored twice while racking up two hits Wednesday in the Rockies' Cactus League win over the Rangers.

Both of his hits went for extra bases including a leadoff triple in the second inning. He drove in his only run on a double to center field off Clayton Blackburn. Story has been on fire this spring, cruising to a .467 average over 15 Cactus League at-bats. The 25-year-old flashed power with 24 homers and 32 doubles last year but led the National League with 191 strikeouts.

Charlie Blackmon slugged his second home run of the spring Wednesday in the Rockies' Cactus League win over the Rangers.

Blackmon struck out in his other two at-bats but made the most of his lone hit by drilling a two-run shot off Clayton Blackburn in the third inning. The 31-year-old has had a productive spring so far, hitting .385 with four RBI across 13 Cactus League at-bats. Blackmon didn't steal many bases last year (just 14) but set career-highs in home runs (37) and RBI (104) while leading the NL in both batting average (.331) and runs scored (137). Fantasy owners should be drafting him in the first round, or at the top of the second.

Joey Gallo cranked his second home run of the spring Wednesday in the Rangers' Cactus League loss to the Rockies.

Gallo grounded out, homered and drew a walk before ceding first-base duties to Jurickson Profar in the sixth inning. The home run was a solo shot to right-center off Antonio Senzatela. The prototypical "three true outcomes" player, Gallo offers immense power but little else. Despite the obvious drawbacks of drafting an all-or-nothing power hitter, Gallo makes sense as a mid-round fantasy selection.

Nolasco, 35, will earn $1.5 million if he makes the Royals, and can earn another $250,000 in innings-based incentives. He also has an opt out of his contract on March 24. He registered a 4.92 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 181 innings for the Angels in 2018. If he pitches well in the Cactus League over the next few weeks, he'll likely earn a spot in the back of the Kansas City rotation to open the season.

The Mariners needed to remove a player off the 40-man roster after signing Ichiro Suzuki on Wednesday, and Armstrong was that player. Acquired from Cleveland in December, the 27-year-old right-hander registered a 4.38 ERA with 20/10 K/BB ratio in just under 25 innings for the Indians in 2017.

Rumbelow hasn't been able to pitch in a Cactus League game since February 24. He also suffered a cut on his thumb in that appearance, so this hasn't been his most fortunate spring training. The 26-year-old right-hander is competing for a spot in the Mariner bullpen.

Billy McKinney launched a grand slam in the eighth inning of the Yankees' 11-4 win over the Mets on Wednesday.

He walked in his previous two plate appearances. McKinney now has four homers and 11 RBI in 16 at-bats this spring. He's walked six times, too. Unfortunately, the only way he's going to crack the Yankees roster is if an outfielder lands on the DL. Even that might not be enough.

Zack Wheeler pitched three scoreless innings and struck out four Wednesday against the Yankees.

That's a definite step forward for Wheeler, who had been limited to one inning in each of his previous two appearances. If everyone remains healthy, it will likely come down to Wheeler and Steven Matz for the fifth spot in the Mets rotation.

Lugo was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday. Acquired in the deal that shipped J.D. Martinez to the Diamondbacks, the 23-year-old infielder hit .277 with 13 homers and 65 RBI at the Double-A level in 2017. If he hits Triple-A pitching well, he has a chance to be an everyday infielder for the Tigers before the end of the 2018 season.

Rafael Montero got just one out and allowed five runs -- two earned -- in relief Wednesday against the Yankees.

Montero had allowed one run and struck out six in four innings coming into this one, so one bad day won't do too much harm. He doesn't have a lot to pitch for this spring anyway; he's not going to make the Mets rotation, but since he's out of options, he's pretty much a lock for the roster (or at least some team's roster).

Travis d'Arnaud homered, singled and walked in three plate appearances Wednesday against the Yankees.

D'Arnaud hasn't put it all together at any point, but it wouldn't be a total surprise to see him perform as a top-10 fantasy catcher when healthy this year. It's the "when healthy" that's the tricky part.

After coming off the bench, Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer and walked Wednesday against the Red Sox.

It looks like Miguel Sano is going to be healthy enough to play third base in April, so Escobar will serve in a utility role initially. That's for the best; he offers a good amount of pop, as evidenced by last year's 21 homers in 457 at-bats, but he still has a lifetime OBP of .301.

Brantley recently had progressed to doing agility work in his running program. The 30-year-old outfielder underwent surgery in October to stabalize the ligaments in his right ankle. It's unlikely that Brantley will be ready when the season opens, but the recent progress over the past week gives him a chance of making the opening 25-man roster.

Dalton Pompey went 2-for-4 with a steal and two runs scored as the Blue Jays edged the Tigers 6-5 on Wednesday.

It's great to see Pompey healthy again after he missed most of last year with a concussion, but the Jays haven't left any room for him in their outfield. He's going to have to go to Triple-A and try to force the Jays to make some room for him.

Deck McGuire worked a pair of scoreless innings out of the pen Wednesday against the Tigers.

McGuire had something of a breakthrough season in the Reds system last year before returning to his original organization on a minor league contract in November. He's up to six scoreless innings this spring, so he's in the running for a bullpen spot. However, if Joe Biagini is in the pen, the Jays might want to keep McGuire stretched out in Triple-A so that he can serve as a rotation alternative.

Victor Martinez hit his third spring homer Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

Not bad for a guy who hit 10 homers in 392 at-bats for the Tigers last year. A healthier Martinez should be more productive this season, but he still probably doesn't have a lot to offer fantasy leaguers at this point.

Gregerson was supposed to make his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday, but was held out for unknown reasons. The reasons are now known. He underwent an MRI, and the results don't seem to give the Cardinals any long-term concerns. He should be fine by opening day, and could very well be the closer for St. Louis when the regular season begins.

Justin Nicolino surrendered two runs in two innings Wednesday in his start versus the Astros.

Nicolino had a 5.23 ERA in eight starts last year before finishing out the season as a reliever. If he's going to last in the majors, it figures to be as a middle man; he's just too hittable for the rotation.

Tony Sipp gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning Wednesday against the Marlins.

Sipp has a 5.33 ERA in 106 appearances since signing a three-year, $16 million contract with the Astros two years ago, and his spot in this season's bullpen shouldn't be assured. The team could go with Buddy Boshers as its lefty if it doesn't think Sipp will bounce back.

Schugel left his appearance on February 25 due to soreness in the shoulder. He received a second opinion to make sure there was no structural damage, and should be back on the mound starting next week.

Curtis Granderson went 2-for-3 with a homer and a walk Wednesday in the Jays' 13-4 rout of the Pirates.

Jays managed John Gibbons wanted Granderson to hit lower in the lineup, but it's going to be impossible to leave him out of the leadoff spot if this keeps up. He's hitting .333/.444/1.067 in 15 at-bats.

Tyler Glasnow was pounded for seven runs -- six earned -- in 2 2/3 innings by the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Glasnow, who was on the outside looking in going into the spring, probably doomed his rotation chances today. He's now given up 10 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings. At least it does come with a nice 13/3 K/BB ratio, but that's still just too many runs.

Devon Travis went 2-for-4 and hit a two-run homer Wednesday against the Pirates.

Travis hit second today, but that's going to Josh Donaldson's spot in the regular season. Travis will either bat leadoff or find himself at the bottom of the order. He could be a nice asset in mixed leagues if he gets the leadoff spot, though Curtis Granderson makes more sense there for the Blue Jays when they're facing righties.

Financial terms are not yet known. Nolasco was with the Angels last season and they made a quick decision to decline his $13 million option for 2018 after the 35-year-old right-hander registered a 4.92 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 181 innings. He should compete for a spot in the back of the Kansas City rotation.

Greg Garcia went 2-for-3 and homered off Max Scherzer in the Cardinals' 4-3 win over the Nationals on Wednesday.

Garcia remains a solid regular shortstop trapped in a utility role in St. Louis. The power is rare -- he's hit seven homers in 544 major league at-bats -- but his career OBP stands at .372. Unfortunately, he's still not looking at much playing time for the Cardinals unless injuries strike.

Adam Wainwright pitched 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball and fanned four Wednesday against the Nationals.

Wainwright has walked five in 5 2/3 innings this spring, but he's allowed just one run so far. Of some note is that his velocity wasn't quite as good today as it was his first time out. We're not especially optimistic about him being useable in mixed leagues.

Paul DeJong struck out all three times up Wednesday against the Nationals.

DeJong is 3-for-19 with eight strikeouts and no walks. The Cardinals showed a whole lot of faith in him by giving him a six-year, $26 million contract earlier this week, so a bad spring isn't going to hurt him at all. Still, he's not a sure thing to post a quality average and OBP as a sophomore.

Danny Valencia doubled twice and drove in three runs Wednesday in the Orioles' 7-2 win over the Rays.

He's 4-for-9 with three doubles and a homer since signing five days ago. Valencia can certainly help the Orioles' lineup against lefties, but the team has to decide whether it's worth living with either his glove or Mark Trumbo's in right field. Colby Rasmus figures to start there against righties.

Blake Snell struck out four in three scoreless frames Wednesday against the Orioles.

Snell has a strong 10/1 K/BB ratio while allowing one run in seven innings. His rotation spot was already pretty secure going into the spring, but he's surely a lock now. He should be a useful fourth or fifth starter in mixed leagues.

Anthony Banda surrendered four runs and walked three in one-plus innings of relief Wednesday against the Orioles.

Banda hasn't been looked at as a candidate to make the Rays after getting picked up from the Diamondbacks in the Steven Souza trade last month, but he is a polished left-hander who figured to be ready if needed in the early part of the year. Today was a mess, though. He's walked four in two innings on the spring.

Willy Adames hit his second homer and drew a walk in three plate appearances Wednesday against the Orioles.

The Rays haven't ruled Adames out as an option to start at second base, but it's really hard to imagine they'll go that route coming out of spring training. Adames is an excellent prospect, but he didn't dominate in Triple-A last year and the Rays have never been a team to start a player's service-time clock before they have to. Adames is almost surely Triple-A bound.

Drew Hutchison allowed one run in three innings of relief work Wednesday against the Red Sox.

Hutchison struck out four and walked none. He's allowed two runs in eight innings this spring to help his chances of claiming one of the two openings in Philadelphia's rotation. He's likely still behind Ben Lively, Nick Pivetta and Mark Leiter.

Justin Haley got the start against the Phillies on Wednesday and threw three scoreless innings.

He's allowed two runs in seven innings overall. Haley opened last year with the Twins after getting plucked in the Rule 5 draft, but he didn't stick and he rejoined the Red Sox in July. He's one of the fallback options to open the season in Boston's rotation, though it hurts his case that the team would need to free up a spot on the 40-man for him.

Morrison was pulled from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox after sliding hard into home plate on a Max Kepler RBI single in the top of the third inning. LoMo could be seen laughing with his teammates in the clubhouse shortly thereafter and he didn't require any immediate treatment from the Twins' medical staff, so this wouldn't seem to be a serious concern. The 30-year-old slugger signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with Minnesota in late February. He batted .246/.353/.516 with a career-high 38 home runs in 2017 with the Rays.

Scribner had allowed two earned runs on four hits and a walk over just three innings this spring in the Grapefruit League. The 32-year-old right-hander was in Rays camp as a February non-roster invitee.

The right-hander has been slowed by a back injury for the past couple of weeks, but he reported feeling strong on Wednesday after throwing 30 pitches in a two-inning simulated game on Tuesday. He can probably be ruled out for Opening Day, but deGrom should be stretched out enough to make his regular-season debut during the Mets' second or third series. The 29-year-old posted a 3.53 ERA and a career-high 239 strikeouts over a career-high 201 1/3 innings last season.

Morrison landed hard on his right side while sliding into home plate on a Max Kepler RBI single in the top of the third and was replaced at first base by Kennys Vargas to start the bottom of the third. The early exit might have been precautionary. Look for more information by Wednesday evening.

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said the 25-year-old right-hander looked "excellent." Houser needed an emergency appendectomy in late January and is a little behind the other Brewers pitchers this spring, but he should be fully prepared to join one of the club's minor league affiliates around early-to-mid April. Houser returned from Tommy John surgery last season and delivered a 1.02 ERA in 17 2/3 innings of lower-level ball. He'll be an option for Milwaukee's bullpen or rotation at some point in 2018.

"I've talked to [Castro] about it, hitting in the three-spot," Mattingly said. "He's a guy who can get on base for [cleanup hitter Justin Bour], but also can drive in a run. Hopefully those guys on top are on base, and he just gets his hits." Castro requested a trade out of Miami amid the club's big firesale this winter, but he has changed his tune since arriving at spring camp in Jupiter, Florida. The 27-year-old second baseman batted .300/.338/.454 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI in 112 games last season for the Yankees, who shipped him to the Marlins as part of the Giancarlo Stanton blockbuster.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com says the 32-year-old right-hander "should be game-ready soon." Swarzak suffered a strained left calf in late February but seems probable now for Opening Day. He signed a two-year, $14 million free agent contract with the Mets this winter after posting a sharp 2.33 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 91/22 K/BB ratio in 77 1/3 innings of relief last season between the White Sox and Brewers.

Davis has some lingering discomfort in his right forearm, but an MRI taken last weekend turned up negative and the Orioles are optimistic that he will be fine for the start of the regular season. The veteran slugger probably only needs 20 more spring at-bats, maybe less, to get his timing right.

It's an injury that can sometimes lead to Tommy John surgery. Dickerson missed the entire 2017 campaign because of lingering back problems and his status for 2018 is up in the air. The now-27-year-old once looked like a promising young outfielder for the Padres.

There's still no word on the financial framework of the deal, but it figures to be heavy on performance-based incentives. Ichiro is returning "home" to Seattle, where he began his major league career back in 2001 -- winning both AL MVP and Rookie of Year that season. It's a little uncertain how much he is actually going to play in 2018 and he obviously has no fantasy relevance at this point. The 44-year-old future Hall of Famer batted just .255/.318/.332 in 215 plate appearances with the Marlins last season.

Clippard struggled to attract meaningful interest on the open market all winter after posting a 4.77 ERA in 60 1/3 innings last season between the Yankees, White Sox, and Astros. The 33-year-old right-hander still has decent swing-and-miss stuff and could crack the Blue Jays' bullpen out of camp, even with the late arrival.

Posey hasn't appeared in a Cactus League game since going 1-for-2 with two RBI in his spring debut on February 25. He's batting a left ankle injury, which might be more than a normal sprain given the lengthy absence from live action. There should be more information soon.

Seager has worked out of the DH spot in all of his Cactus League games thus far, but the Dodgers are just about ready to pull the reins off. The young shortstop battled an elbow injury in the second half last season and the Dodgers didn't want to push him too hard out of the gate this spring. He should be 100 percent for Opening Day.

Milwaukee's medical staff is optimistic that Davies will only have to miss one Cactus League start, but oblique issues are tricky and there's at least some danger that Davies won't be fully stretched out by the first week of the regular season. It's something to monitor. Davies, 25, put up a solid 3.90 ERA over 191 1/3 innings (33 starts) last year for the Brewers, though he doesn't miss enough bats to carry meaningful mixed-league fantasy value.

Musgrove has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game due to early-camp shoulder discomfort, but he is scheduled to throw a three-inning simulated game on Friday and could make his spring debut after that. "I don't think there's anything that's going to hold me back unless something were to pop up in the next couple weeks here," he said Wednesday. "I feel like I'll be ready to break with the team." The 25-year-old makes for an intriguing late-round fantasy starter in mixed leagues despite his struggles last summer in Houston.

Stroman was shut down in late February after coming down with some inflammation in his right shoulder and the Blue Jays are easing him back into his spring throwing program. An MRI on the shoulder showed no structural damage and Toronto's medical staff is optimistic that this won't become a long-term concern, but the 26-year-old might not be ready until the second week of the regular season. He posted a shiny 3.09 ERA over 201 innings (33 starts) in 2017.

Hamilton suffered a sprained left index finger while shagging fly balls during batting practice on Tuesday, but it's obviously not much of a concern. The 27-year-old speedster should be 100 percent for Opening Day. He racked up a career-high 59 stolen bases in 139 games last season.

Valaika has been slowed by an oblique injury for the last couple of weeks, but there's still hope that he could be ready for the start of the regular season. He's already taken grounders and made throws on the infield without issue. The versatile 25-year-old projects to serve as an active utilityman this season for the Rockies. He put up a cool .817 OPS with 13 home runs in 110 games (195 plate appearances) last year.

Parra had a goal to begin playing in Cactus League games by March 10, and he could come pretty close to meeting it. That would put him on track to be ready for Opening Day, as long as there are no setbacks. The 30-year-old outfielder underwent surgery on February 9 to remove the hamate bone from his right hand.

Pomeranz left his last Grapefruit League appearance on Friday after experiencing tightness in his left forearm, but he's already back to throwing and could be ready for the first week of the 2018 regular season as long as everything goes smoothly from here. The 29-year-old southpaw went 17-6 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 174/69 K/BB ratio over 173 2/3 innings in 2017.

This move clears a spot on the Rangers' 40-man roster for Tim Lincecum, who was officially signed to a one-year, $1 million contract on Tuesday. Nicholas, 29, batted just .238/.262/.397 in 65 plate appearances for Texas last season.

Santana had the cast removed from his finger on Monday. He needed a procedure to remove a calcium deposit in early February and is likely to be sidelined until late April or early May. The 35-year-old right-hander went 16-8 with a 3.28 ERA, 1.126 WHIP, and 167/61 K/BB ratio in 211 1/3 innings last season for Minnesota.

That would no longer tie Moustakas to draft pick compensation and could finally spring open a fruitful market for the 29-year-old third baseman, especially if he is willing to accept offers that would only carry through to the end of the 2018 season. He can not have that draft pick compensation tied to him next winter, per the CBA rules. "Watch what happens," Boras said. "This player has no picks attached to him. It goes away, because they can only put it on him once. So now it's a totally different world for Moose." Boras and Moustakas were believed to be seeking upwards of five years and $75 million when this offseason began.

Kohn has been diagnosed with a nerve issue in his right biceps and could be in danger of missing the entire 2018 regular season. He is in Twins camp this spring as a non-roster invitee and might soon be released.

Never a good sign, but it's better that this is happening in early March than mid-to-late March. Rosario can still get himself ready before the start of the 2018 regular season as long as the tendinitis does not linger too long. He is 3-for-13 with a home run and a stolen base so far in Grapefruit League play.

Hardy came down with some tightness in his left shoulder in late February and is easing back into his spring throwing program for fear of making it worse. He still has a chance of being ready for Opening Day, but it's going to be a close call. The 30-year-old southpaw projects to work in a setup role this season for Detroit, as long as he's healthy.

Miller said he felt "something creeping in" while playing in a short simulated game on Tuesday. He broke his right pinkie toe in February and is worried that a change in his gait -- or manner of movement -- could cause a flareup of his previous hip issues or even cause him to aggravate the core muscle injury that needed a surgical repair in October. The second baseman may be questionable for Opening Day at this point. He's taken just two Grapefruit League at-bats.

No real surprises here in the Astros' first round of cuts. Perez, a 21-year-old left-hander from Cuba, registered a 4.13 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 83/27 K/BB ratio in 93 2/3 innings last season between three different minor league levels. He finished the year in Double-A.

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